Armors of Loyalty, Sincerity, Piety and Obedience
by Icefire2
Summary: With strange dreams Hope's adventure begins again when she is pulled into another world to fight without the help of the ronin team. Now to save the world she is in, Hope will have to bring together a new team of heirs before time run out. hold
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer, credits and character guide  
  
I do not own the Ronins Warriors, the people who made them and aired them on TV do.  
  
But I with co. operation from my partner Harry, own this story, the characters and the  
  
plot.   
  
George Anderson was a creation of Harry, so he deserve credit for the bearer of the armor  
  
of Piety as well as making the story. But also credit goes to Isabel Night, she been  
  
inspiring me to challenge my own writing and to improve.   
  
And now on to the characters!  
  
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Character guide  
  
Name: George Anderson.  
  
Age: 19  
  
Height: 5'8  
  
Hair: spike and dyed green  
  
Eyes: dark blue  
  
Skin Shade: dark brown  
  
Statue: Heir to Sechkmet, bearer of the armor of Piety   
  
Ability: Healing  
  
Pet(s): his snakes  
  
Weapon trained with: no - dachi   
  
History: He grew up in Canada, the oldest of five children, with three sisters and one  
  
brother; George and his siblings was raised by his father, who studied snakes and other  
  
reptiles at the local zoo. After his mother's death when he was four George found out  
  
about his ability to heal and he took up his father's love for snakes. He took marital arts  
  
classes and learned to fight with no - datic from age of six to present day. He came to  
  
Japan as an exchange student but was luckily enough to escape the capturing of the  
  
people in Tomaya.  
  
Personality: He is a laid back guy with a sense of humor but is also very calm. He is a bit  
  
distant to the Ronins and though he does not hate the Warlords with a passion he fights  
  
along side the other heirs and Ronins. He very protective of the other heirs, each time  
  
Hope goes off on her own he worries for her.   
  
Important to know: He is the oldest of the heir and is extremely protective of the girls.   
  
Name: Linda Mayer  
  
Age: 18  
  
Height: 5'6  
  
Hair: mid shoulder length black hair  
  
Eyes: Light green  
  
Skin Shade: Pale  
  
Statue: Heir to the armor of Illusion  
  
Ability: Telenkinse  
  
Pet(s): none  
  
Weapon trained with: bo and daggers  
  
History: Linda grew up in Europe, as a daughter of two circus acrobats she traveled much  
  
and became a skilled acrobat herself. Being an only child Linda learned to tend to herself  
  
and others from a young age explaining her big heart. She worked on her telenkinse all  
  
her life and it was a mysterious letter from someone in Japan that brought her to Tomaya,  
  
someone promising to help her with her ability.  
  
Personality: Linda is the one that holds the team together with her willing ear and sweet  
  
nature. She is very affectionate of the Ronins and understands like Hope that the  
  
Warlords are human as well and can be changed but she is also a fierce fighter and will  
  
fight the Warlords if they attack herself, the Ronins, the other heirs or the people of the  
  
city.   
  
Important to know: Linda's abilities are meager, but once she becomes contacted to the  
  
armor of Illusion they strength and she also the heart of the heir team.  
  
Name: Yukiko Yamio   
  
Age: 17  
  
Height: 5'5  
  
Hair: short black hair  
  
Eyes: dark brown  
  
Skin Shade: light tan  
  
Statue: heir to the armor of Darkness  
  
Ability: Telepathic  
  
Pet(s): none  
  
Weapon(s) trained with: no - dachi   
  
History: Yukiko grew up with her mother, father and little brother in Tomaya, Japan. She  
  
learned of telepathic ability but hid it from her parents, only she and her brother knew  
  
about it. Yukiko was in her home when the attack took place, defending herself with a no  
  
dachi she had been gave when she was fifteen, she managed to flee to the streets of  
  
Tomaya but soon found her family had been killed in the seize.  
  
Personality: Yukiko is like her armor, cold and harsh at times as well as distant but once  
  
someone had gotten passed her tough girl attitude people will find she is a kind hearted,  
  
slightly insecure girl. Yukiko prefers the cold to the heat so she is distant and sometimes  
  
snappy to Ryo but she is very sweet on Cye. Her closest friend on the team in Linda.  
  
Important to know: How she becomes to Cye is only in Hope's world.   
  
(I know, I know. She not a new chara but for the team reason I added Hope)  
  
Name: Hope Shigwatsu  
  
Age: 16  
  
Height: 5'5  
  
Hair: red - brown, mid back length  
  
Eyes: pale blue  
  
Skin Shade: light tan  
  
Statue: heir to the armor of Cruelty  
  
Pet(s): none  
  
Weapon(s) trained with: kursai gama, daggers and single kanata (she is a Ronin after all)  
  
History: (her past is explained in Daughter of Bloodlines)   
  
Personality: Hope's actions reflect her moods but like a poker player she can and will hide  
  
her emotions and thought, she is very good at acting. Hope is a high spirited, stubborn girl  
  
with a big mouth at times but she is also a deep thinker. She is fiercely loyal to the Ronins  
  
and the others, going to the point where she would put herself in danger for them. She is  
  
the one that leads and pull the heir team together.   
  
Important to know: Hope is main point of the story and the armor she wears is not really  
  
the armor she is to bear. 


	2. Progule

Progule  
  
Darkness and light, day and night. Hope looked around, she was standing on what reminded her of a dirt road, on on side of her she could see light on the other darkness. "Ok, where in the name of the mortal realm am I?!" She asked out loud. Then Hope saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked again. In the light she could make out five figures, in the darkness there was four figures, she couldn't make out the faces of the nine of them.  
  
"So which way Hope?" A male voice asked to her side, Hope turned to face a young man, like with the others she couldn't make out his face but she knew some how that he was a friend. "I don't unstand." She said, the two other figures appered at her side, both girls. "You will Hope, soon you will." One said. "But what ...." Hope started to ask but then she saw a flash of light and things changed ....  
  
She tried to dogde the attack and did somewhat but it knocked her helemet clear off her head. Uh oh. She thought. Anubis took one look at her and was dumbfounded: "A GIRL? We've been fighting A GIRL!" She glanced at the other Walords, anger and shock was their expressions.  
  
Suddenly there was a buzzing sound and sixteen year old Hope jumped falling off her bed. Hope looked up and realized in her sleep she had aciddently hit her alarm clock. She touched the locket around her neck. "What was that about?" She asked herself.  
  
  
  
Hope wasn't the only one with strange dreams, in another demision, in another time there was three other teens waking up with strange dreams.....  
  
In a room at a colleage in Tomaya nineteen year old a young man sat on his bed after his own dream. He was tall, at a height of 5'8 had dyed green hair was cut short and was spiked and he had a meduim build and was darkly tanned from being in the sun often and his eyes was dark blue was filled with confusion. *That does it mean?* He asked himself.   
  
In his dream he following a snake, cobra down a dirt road, on one side of him was light on the other darkness. But the darkness did not seem like the blackness of night, it seemed evil, corrupted. The snake slithered into the darkness and turned to look at him, calling him there. He almost stepped in the darknesss but then three pairs of hands garbed him and pulled him onto the road. He could make out three girls though he couldn't see their faces, he then noticed that he was in some acient looking armor like they was.   
  
But before he could ask anything he woke. *Werid dream.* He thought to him as he shook his head.  
  
In a cursis tailer in Europe ..... a young woman got a glass of water and looked outside, she was eighteen years old and standing at 5'6 though she didn't have much of a build because of her being an arcobat you could see she had a strength about her, she very, almost sickly pale and had shoulder lenght black hair and light green eyes.   
  
In her dream she was running thourgh a forest, running from something until she came to a dirt road, on one side of her was light on the other darkness. But the darkness did not seem like the blackness of night, it seemed evil, corrupted. There was someone in the darkness wacthing her, calling her to come. She almost stepped in the darknesss but then three pairs of hands garbed her and pulled her onto the road. She could make out two other girls and one young man though she couldn't see their faces, she then noticed that she was in some acient looking armor like they was.   
  
But before she could ask anything she woke. "Does it mean something?" She asked outloud as she looked at the letter at her bed side, a letter she got from Japan. "Alright I will go." She said outloud.  
  
In a small home in Tomaya a seventeen year old girl had short sandly blonde hair and dark brown eyes, She was 5'5 with light tan skin from being the in the sun often when she paticed or trained. She looked around her room thinking.   
  
In her dream she was following a wolf down a dirt road, on one side of her was light on the other darkness. But the darkness did not seem like the blackness of night, it seemed evil, corrupted. The wolf walked into the darkness and turned to look at her, calling her there. She almost stepped in the darknesss but then three pairs of hands garbed her and pulled her onto the road. She could make out two other girls and one young man though she couldn't see their faces, she then noticed that she was in some acient looking armor like they was.   
  
But before she could ask anything she woke. *What was that about?* She asked herself and laid back on the bed hoping to get some more sleep. 


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Three months Hope sat on a branch of a tree watching the sunset and thinking about her  
  
dream and the day ....  
  
"Ok, now when you spin around bring the left foot up and hit my arm, like you mean it."  
  
Cale said, Hope took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then without any warning she  
  
spun around and brought her leg up hard against Cale's arm.   
  
"Good." He said as Hope wiped the sweat off her forehead. "All right, I think that is  
  
enough for today." Her uncle said, Hope nodded. Since Daemon's defeat and although she  
  
was no longer the bearer of the armor of Cruelty Hope trained and fought beside the  
  
Ronins, becoming a force on her own, if they was not fighting too hard she could almost  
  
match the Ronins in subarmor, almost.  
  
"Hope, Hope." Hope looked up hearing her name being called and looked down, Anubis  
  
was looking for her. *Maybe.* She thought looking at him as he passed under the tree she  
  
hid in. *Now!* Hope thought but suddenly something jumped down on her, Hope fell off  
  
the branch but at the last second garbed it with one hand.   
  
She glared up at Dais as he smirked. "Better luck next time Hope." Anubis said, Hope let  
  
go of the branch and dropped to the ground. "You both knew the other was here." Hope  
  
accused, Anubis nodded. "Yes we did." He said, Hope sighed and shook her head.  
  
"Predictable?" She asked him. "Yes, you pull those tree jumps of your enough time so  
  
we've come expect them." Dais said jumping down.  
  
Great. Hope thought to herself. *Lets see, can't bear armor, can't fight, can't even get the  
  
jump on your own family. How useless can you be Hope?* She asked herself. " ..... and  
  
.... Hope? Hope are you listening?"   
  
"Huh?" Hope asked coming out of her thoughts. "Oh sorry I wasn't ....."   
  
"Listening." Dais finished for her. "I said that it is time to head in for the night and  
  
tomorrow Mia and the boys are heading to town. She wanted me to ask if you wanted to  
  
go along." Anubis said, since his return to the mortal world he and Mia renewed their  
  
relationship and was engaged to be married soon.  
  
Hope shook her head. "No thanks, I think I'll .... do something." She finished flatly, Dais  
  
shook his head. "Hope what has gotten into you? You don't go into town unless by force  
  
and you keep running off on us. Now what is going on?" Dais asked his niece.   
  
"A boy?" Anubis asked, Hope couldn't help it, she laughed. "A boy? Yea right, no guy  
  
would look at me twice my uncle." She said. "Come on, we had better head back to the  
  
house before the others come looking for us." Dais tried to stop Hope as she walked away  
  
but Anubis stopped him.   
  
"No Dais, let her go for now. I think Cale was right." Anubis said, Dais shook his head.  
  
"But she knows she is part of the team." "Perhaps but remember Dais, Hope has lost  
  
everyone but us to the Dynasty, her parents and adopted mother but though she knows  
  
revenge is not the answer she feels she must do something for what happened to them."  
  
He said watching his niece walk away. *And she doesn't yet know she is the heir to the  
  
armor of Cruelty. But it seems it is time to tell her.* Anubis thought to himself.  
  
That evening .... "Hope?" Anubis asked finding Hope on the pouch, Hope looked over at  
  
him. "Oh ... hey Uncle Anubis." She said then looked back to the stars. "What you  
  
looking at?" He asked. "The stars, I come out here every evening. Rowen hooked me on it  
  
I guess." Hope said with a shrug as Anubis also sat down. "You can make sense out of all  
  
that talk?" He asked, Hope smiled softly.   
  
"Some what, mostly I just like trying to see which are the brighter ones." She said, Anubis  
  
nodded but decided to get to the point. "Here." He tossed her something, Hope caught it  
  
in both hands, she felt a pulsing power run thorough her arms then thorough her body. *It  
  
can't be.* She thought opening her hands she saw the kanji orb to the armor of Cruelty.  
  
Hope looked at her uncle who nodded. "Hope you are the heir to the armor of Cruelty."  
  
"Heir?" Hope asked. "It means when the armors pass to another the armor of Cruelty will  
  
be passed on to you." "But I can't ..." Hope started to objected but Anubis stopped her.  
  
"You can Hope and you will, one day you will." He said, Hope looked at the kanji orb in  
  
her hands, doubt and uncertainly written across her face. "I don't think I can do it alone."  
  
She said quietly.  
  
"Listen little one." Anubis said, Hope looked at him hearing the seriousness in his voice.  
  
"When destiny calls you, you must be strong, we may not be there but remember we are  
  
always with you. And you can face the challenges ahead." "I don't understand." Anubis  
  
smiled. "One day you will." he said and stood up leaving Hope to her own thoughts. 


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2   
  
"You can't escape Ronin!" Cye turned as an explosive attack threw him back into one of  
  
the walls of the building. Distipe his helmet Cye was knocked out because of force of the  
  
hit. Seckmeht and Cale walked over to the fallen Ronin. "Pitiful." Cale snickered as  
  
Seckmeht raised his weapon to finish Cye off. "Quake With Fear!" A voice shouted but  
  
instead of attacking Cye the attack hit Cale and Seckmeht! "Anubis what are you doing?!"  
  
Seckmeht asked his comrade. "Leave him alone!" Instead of Anubis's voice it was a  
  
female voice shouted from the armor. "You!" Cale shouted as the armored figure readied  
  
to attack again.   
  
"My suggestion to you is to get while the getting is good." Seckmeht looked at her then  
  
hissed. "This isn't over yet girl." He hissed as he and Cale disappeared. The armored  
  
figure looked at Cye as he started to come around. "Are you all right?" She asked. "Yea  
  
but who are you?" Cye asked, the person removed her helmet, mid back length red -  
  
brown hair fell down and pale blue eyes watched Cye's shocked reaction. "My is Hope.  
  
Hope of Cruelty."  
  
Hope opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. "Dreams again." She said to herself  
  
shaking her head. "I think I'm going to talk to the guys about this." She said and got out of  
  
bed. But as she walked, Hope was surprised to see that there was no one there. "Cye,  
  
Uncle Anubis, Uncle Dais? Where is everyone?" Hope called out. "The guys are in town  
  
Hope." Hope jumped in surprise and turned to see Mia.   
  
"Oh Mia, you startled me." She said, Mia smiled. "Sorry about that. But Hope Anubis is  
  
out near the old pond, remember?" Hope nodded. "Well I need someone to take him some  
  
food, will you go?" Mia asked. "Mia really do need to go to trai ..."   
  
"Hope, you can go to training later." Hope nodded at Mia, there was something ....  
  
different about her but Hope couldn't put her finger on it. "Ok, I'll go." She said. "Thank  
  
you, also take his armor orb to him. In case of an attack." Mia said, since Daemon's defeat  
  
his Warlords still fought against the Ronin team so there was still some danger. Hope  
  
nodded and pocketed the armor orb and took the bag of food. "Ok, be back soon." She  
  
said and walked outside.   
  
Mia walked into the kitchen and at the table, sleeping was Mia! 'Mia' looked out the  
  
window at Hope. "No, no you won't Hope. You shouldn't be put thorough this but it is  
  
needed." She whispered and disappeared.   
  
" .... Heart pounding, sweat on your brow. Every move you make now determines your  
  
fate because wrong and right isn't black and white anymore. But within you hidden by  
  
years of being alone, hidden by years of wear and tear on a young heart is an unseen  
  
power." *Not too bad for an beginning.* Hope thought after making up part of a poem, if  
  
there was one thing she was told she got from Anubis it was he love of books and words.  
  
She would often make up poems in her spare time.  
  
"Now where did Mia say Uncle Anubis was?" She asked looking around but then Hope  
  
felt, rather than saw, some force off to her left. She looked around then headed to where  
  
the feeling came from but all she could see was a circle of trees. "There is nothing here."  
  
She said as she stepped into the middle of the circle.   
  
Suddenly Hope felt as if she has been struck by lighting, her body felt an intense shock  
  
then go alarmingly numb. "Wh ... guys." She said as things went black, Hope felt a falling  
  
sensation before she lost conciseness. 


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
When she came around Hope felt her head pounding, she was staring up at the sky over  
  
head in the middle of Tomaya but then she noticed something: she was in sub armor!  
  
*Impossible.* Hope thought to herself. "What is going on here? One moment, I'm at the  
  
edge of the woods, and the next, I'm in the middle of Toyoma! What's going on here?!"  
  
She muttered to herself.  
  
Suddenly Hope noticed that Tomaya looked different, darker and in decay. "What in the  
  
name of the mortal world?" She asked but a familiar voice. "Snake Fang Strike!" "Uncle  
  
Seckmeht? What's he doing here?" Hope asked as she headed toward the sound of the  
  
sure kill but she had a sick feeling to her stomach, like something was warning her from  
  
going there.   
  
What she saw made Hope feel horrified and sick, she saw soldiers rounding up people  
  
and Seckmeht was attacking Cye! "Give up Ronin rodent, you can't survive long!"  
  
Seckmeht taunted. Hope was seriously confused. *But that hasn't happened since ... the  
  
Dynasty Wars! Have I somehow traveled back in time?* Hope wondered to herself but  
  
made sure that she wasn't seen.  
  
But then she saw Seckmeht use his sure kill on Cye again, the Ronin of Torrent was  
  
throw back into a building wall and fell, stunned by the force of the attack. "Good  
  
Seckmeht." Cale said appearing on the scene. "Pitiful, he was so easy to defeat."  
  
Seckmeht hissed and Hope knew he would kill Cye.  
  
*I got to help him!* Hope thought to herself. *If I can go to sub armor then maybe I can  
  
go to full.* She thought to herself. "Armor of Cruelty!" Hope called to arm and  
  
disappeared in a flash of light then reappeared in full battle armor. *It worked!* She  
  
cheered mentally.   
  
"Anubis what are you doing?" Seckmeht asked as Hope jumped in his way, getting  
  
between him and Cye. *Anub .... the armor! They think I'm Anubis! Well maybe it will  
  
work.* She thought and deepen her voice. "I have orders from the master to kill Torrent.  
  
Go, both of you." Hope ordered for all the world sounding just like Anubis. "He is mine  
  
Anubis." Seckmeht hissed. "Do you wish to explain it to our master?" 'Anubis' asked  
  
harshly.  
  
"No. We have no desire to disobey Master Talpa." said Cale, as he and Seckmeht left  
  
Cye. Hope was about to sigh with relief but then .... "What's this?" An all too familiar  
  
male voice asked, Hope turned white seeing and hearing Anubis! "Anubis?! But then  
  
who?" Cale asked. "Cye run!" Hope ordered as she jerked Cye up to his feet.  
  
And run the two of them did! Hope wasn't sure if the Warlords was too shocked to see  
  
another bearer of Cruelty or what but they didn't follow her and Cye and she was grateful.  
  
*This is getting weirder and werider!* Hope thought. 


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
After escaping from the Warlords, Cye turned toward the person wearing the Armor of  
  
Cruelty. "Who are you, and what are you doing wearing the armor of a Dark Warlord?"  
  
he asked, his British accent coming to the front.   
  
*Whoa too close.* "Sorry Cye .... I mean Torrent. Can't tell you that just yet. Keep  
  
running, I will devert the Warlords. Get to the other Ronins and for the love of the mortal  
  
world don't get separated!" Cye nodded, but moved off with some suspicion. *Can't let  
  
him know that I'm from the future!* Hope thought to herself.  
  
Hope decided against powering down, if the Warlords caught up with her she need the  
  
power that only came from full battle armor to fight them. Hope jumped to the rooftops  
  
and headed in the opposite direction of Cye hoping to stop any Warlords from going after  
  
him. She didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Well, well what do we have here?" "Yikes!" Hope yelped seeing Anubis and Cale.   
  
*Uh oh I'm busted. Running time.* She thought and ran, in another direction. "Come  
  
back here!" Cale yelled.   
  
"Yea all right, are you dumb or it being over four hundred old?" She called back to him.   
  
That got Cale mad! "I'll teach you to disrespect a Dark Warlord! Black Lighting Slash!"  
  
"Miss me by fifty miles!" Hope called though she barely dodged the sure kill. *I hope I  
  
know what I'm doing. Or I am a DEAD Ronin.* She thought to herself as she kept  
  
running.   
  
As Hope ran from the Warlords she heard something to her left. "WEB OF  
  
DECEPTION!" called out another voice! *DRATS I forgot about Dais.* Hope thought to  
  
herself. Caught in her thought Hope didn't pay attention to the jump she was making, she  
  
slipped on the roof top as she cleared the jump.   
  
"Yah!" She cried as fell from the roof to the ground, thanks to her armor she survived  
  
without a bruise but the fall knocked the wind out of her. Hope looked to see Cale and  
  
Dais jump down without a problem and start towards her.  
  
"WE have the Ronin pest now!" called out Cale. "Yes, and Master Talpa will be pleased  
  
with us for doing so." responded Dais. Hope knew she had to escape or she was as good  
  
as dead. *Armor down! Sub armor!* She thought to herself as she garbed one of the  
  
illusion potions Dais gave her, she always carried some around with her.   
  
"Invisibility!" She called and became invisible. Hope got up and suddenly ran, she then  
  
switched to sub armor as the potion wore off but by then she had put enough distance  
  
between her and the Warlords so they couldn't follow her. 


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Hope quickly moved toward the location of the Koji Manor. If anyone could help her  
  
figure out what had happened, Mia Koji could! As Hope headed toward the Koji manor  
  
house, she headed toward it via the main road.   
  
However, before Hope could get there, she stopped seeing a figure in the middle of the  
  
road. It was Anubis! "So, little Ronin, I do not know how you managed to get a copy of  
  
my armor, but you will not inform the rest of the Ronins of what is going on!" he said, as  
  
he threw his sure kill at the armor bearer in front of him.  
  
Hope jumped back but fell and rolled giving Anubis time to garb her. "Let go!" Hope  
  
cried as Anubis garbed her the front of her shirt. Hope held her hands in front of her face,  
  
something told her not to let him see her face. "What's the matter Ronin Scum? Afraid to  
  
show your face to your master!" Anubis snarled as he tried to force the hands down.   
  
"No!" Hope shouted giving into the only reaction she could do in such a situation: She  
  
hit Anubis with her knee, right between his legs! Hope knew she would have a bruised  
  
knee due to the armor but surprising it worked and Hope ran. *I hope he never sees me  
  
again or he WILL kill me!* She thought running thorough the woods as fast as she could.   
  
Hope thanked kami, the Ancients and every force she knew as came to the area where she  
  
knew she would find the manor. But as she came into the clearing Hope stopped. "Oh no,  
  
it can't be." She said, the manor was not there. 


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Hope let a deep breath out slowly, when she saw the manor didn't exist her first reaction  
  
was to panic but she remembered what her uncles taught her and fought that panic. She  
  
was now in the trees, hiding and trying to think.   
  
"What is wrong with this place?! The manor should be here, and yet it isn't. Yet, from  
  
what I remember before I came here, the manor was here. Maybe I should hit the library,  
  
as Sage would suggest, and see what I can find out." She said to herself.  
  
Hope jumped into the tree, powering down to street clothes, for some reason she was very  
  
tried, drained in a way. She jumped from tree limb to tree limb because faster and quieter.  
  
As Hope reached the library, she was surprised to see that it was damaged!   
  
It looked like the place had been caught in the middle of a major fight, and recently. "Oh  
  
boy, this just keeps getting better and better!" She said as she walked around but stopped  
  
and tited her head hearing something: footsteps of armor. Dynasty soldiers!  
  
Hope shook her head. *What are Dynasty troops doing in this town! The Ronins should  
  
had sent the Dynasty packing, so what was going on here!* She thought. *Oh course the  
  
Seasonals seem to be Warlords again!* Hope thought to herself as she ran.   
  
*This is crazy! I should be fighting the soldiers! Not running from them!* Hope thought  
  
then shook her head. "Now I'm thinking like Ryo and the others! I'm not an Elemental,  
  
I'm a Seasonal. But still, this is very weird." She muttered to herself.  
  
Hope kept running, she knew the soldiers had either caught sight of her or was just  
  
coming down the same alley she was. She be caught in a matter of moments if she didn't  
  
think of something fast!   
  
Suddenly she heard someone say. "Move over here if you want to live!" She quickly  
  
moved over to the place, and was shocked to see Cye in the armor of Torrent! "Cye?!"  
  
She asked before she could stop herself. "Be quiet, and get down." He snapped. That  
  
threw Hope for a loop! Cye was always the most polite and best mannered of the  
  
Elementals. Hope snapped out of her shock and did as told.   
  
Soon the soldiers passed. "That was close, those tin cans really are getting to be pains."  
  
Hope said. "Tell me about it. We've been on the run from them for three months now.  
  
Most people know better than to come outside when they show up." He remarked.  
  
"On the run? Uh Cye have you forgot how to use your armor or something? You and the  
  
others are suppose to be fighting those ..." Hope trailed off as she saw the look on Cye's  
  
face. *Uh oh, I just said too much.* She thought. "How do you know about the armors?  
  
Are you a servant of Talpa? You better give me some answers and give the right ones, or  
  
else I'll turn you into a drowned rat!" He hissed.  
  
Hope backed off, she never, since she became a Ronin, EVER heard Cye talk like that.  
  
*He is not Cye! He can't be!* She wanted to yell as she turn to go. As she turned, she felt  
  
a blast of water go by her. "That was a warning shot. You better answer my questions, or  
  
next time, I won't miss!" He hissed angrily at her.  
  
Hope turned and looked at him. "IF I was with the Dynasty then why would I have saved  
  
you earlier Cye? Or don't you remember the blue eyed bearer of Cruelty that saved you  
  
from the Warlords." She said remembering what happened only hours ago. "You still  
  
need to do something else to prove that you aren't working for the Dynasty. You could be  
  
a plant, working for them." he said, staring at her. Hope just shook her head and bolted  
  
again. Running flat out, not caring if he came after her or not.   
  
She heard Cye yell something she couldn't make out but she just ran faster. Finally she  
  
stopped became she couldn't breath, run and not cry at the same time. She leaned against  
  
a wall try to catch her breath. "He is not Cye, this can't be happening. None of this." She  
  
said as she slammed the palms of her hands against the wall angrily. "This shouldn't be  
  
happening!" She shouted to the sky.  
  
"Foolish child. Do you not know that one cannot escape from the hand of Master Talpa!  
  
You will serve the Dynasty, or die!" Hissed a voice from behind. Hope didn't need to turn  
  
around to know who that was: it was Anubis! Hope bolt again but as she did .... "Armor  
  
of Cruelty!" She called her battle armor and jumped up into the roof of a building.   
  
"You want me you sorry son of a %*#$? Then come and get me!" She yelled. *I got to  
  
get him away from ...Torrent.* She thought not able to call the young man Cye. "How  
  
can it be that you bear my armor? There can be only ONE bearer of any armor at any one  
  
time!" Anubis snapped. "Come after me and preharp we will see. Lest you fear your  
  
defeat!" She called down to him.  
  
"I will get you, when I have more time. Until then, little one." He sarcastically remarked,  
  
as he headed after other humans. "You yellow belly, demon serving, wuss of a scum  
  
bag!" She yelled. *If that doesn't insult that stubborn pride of his nothing will.* She  
  
thought to herself. That caused Anubis to stop. "What did you call me?" he asked, glaring  
  
at her.  
  
"I called you a 'yellow belly, demon serving, wuss of a scum bag'! You four hundred year  
  
old loser!" She called down to him. "How dare you insult the Warlord of Cruelty! For  
  
that, you will pay!" he hissed, drawing his weapon. "Then proof it! And stop stalling!  
  
You coward!" Hope yelled. *I just hope I know what I am doing or I am a dead Ronin.*  
  
She thought to herself, she was playing a dangerous game insulting him like that but she  
  
knew that was the only way to distract him.  
  
*And speaking of distracting, I got to get the people away from this area but since I can't  
  
do it .....* Hope thought. Cye of Torrent! Get the people away from the south side of the  
  
city! Anubis is here and I bet you the other Warlords will soon follow their comrade to  
  
me. She called to him thorough the armor link, praying it get thorough.  
  
And it did. "How can she use the armor link? That only works with armor bearers." Cye  
  
muttered to himself. Please Cye, you got to trust me! I can't hold Anubis off forever, and  
  
if the other Warlords show up then I am done for if I can't keep my attention on them.  
  
Now act like a Ronin and help the people you have swore to protect! Hope called to him  
  
as she jumped to another building know Anubis would follow. 


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Anubis took one look back at the person sending the insults. *It seems we have a pest.  
  
Time to take care of it personally.* He thought to himself, his face showing a smirk.  
  
Hope watched him, her attention focused on him knowing Cye would help the other  
  
people.   
  
"So, little pest, you have decided to play? Good, I need a workout to release some  
  
of the tension of not totally thrashing those brats, the Ronin Warriors for Master Talpa."  
  
he said, grinning evilly beneath his face plate.  
  
"Do you ever shut up?" She asked him. "Stop stalling or are you too afraid to fight me?"  
  
She challenged. "But are you worthy of the effort of squashing?" asked Anubis, as he  
  
moved closer toward Hope. "Well there the answers to my questions." Hope muttered but  
  
looked at him. *He is stalling too much, it's not like him. Normally he would have already  
  
attacked ..... unless .... the other Warlords!* Hope realized, she had just fallen right into a  
  
trap.  
  
"So, Anubis, are you going to hog all the fun yourself, or are you going to share?" asked  
  
Cale, as he moved in on one side of Hope from where he appeared. "Yes, you do have a  
  
tendency to hog all the fun." stated Seckmeht, as he came in opposite Cale. "And a rather  
  
bothersome pest at that." Said Dais, as he came down from a nearby building on one of  
  
his webs.  
  
"Not you three again." She said and looked at Anubis. "You let your comrades do your  
  
fighting. Seem below you Anubis, but I should have known you would do so you yellow  
  
bellied coward." She hissed at him, she knew he played dirty as a Warlord in her world  
  
but ...   
  
*But you never thought it happen to you.* Hope thought as she drew her weapon,  
  
she would need it cause she was surrounded, outnumbered and they more years of  
  
fighting then she did so the odds was not in her favor. *Lets just hope that fate is.* She  
  
thought to herself.   
  
"I AM NOT A COWARD!" Roared Anubis. Calming down a bit, he simply said. "I  
  
believe in sharing pest extermination with my comrades, that is all." "Cowardice." She  
  
said and looked at the three others, then area. *Ok just hope that training worked.* She  
  
thought as looked back to Anubis. "Well then if you want me, you got to get me." She  
  
said and moved like she would lunged at him but at the last second jumped up and over,  
  
to another building and ran like there was fire under her feet.   
  
The movement surprised the Warlords. They had thought that she would stay put, due to  
  
fear, and allow them to beat up on her. This made the hunt more enjoyable! *I just hope I  
  
know where I am going.* She thought as she jumped from roof to roof, leading the  
  
Warlords to the outskirts of town. There be more room there and she didn't know the city  
  
that well, they did. A ground battle would be too risky.  
  
"Why don't you surrender, child. We promise to make your suffering as quick as  
  
possible." Called out Seckmeht. "Yea right, are you THAT stupid or do you just act it?"  
  
She called back to him, slowing down enough to let them keep her in sight. She didn't  
  
want to lose them, yet.  
  
"SNAKE FANG STRIKE!" The Warlord of Venom tried his sure kill, but ended up  
  
missing Hope by several yards. "Why didn't you just wait till you were closer."  
  
Snapped Dais. "I thought that I had a clear shot at him." Seckmeht replied.  
  
*That was close, if I live thorough this I got to have a talk with my uncles! IF I live to see  
  
them again!* She thought to herself then jumped and hidden in a nook at a building,  
  
waiting. "He headed toward that building over there!" Cale said, pointing toward where  
  
Hope had headed toward. Cale and Anubis headed carefully toward the location, hoping  
  
to ambush Hope and capture her in one piece.  
  
Hope held her breath as Cale passed her, she didn't want to give her position away. After  
  
he passed her she climbed out of the nook, she saw Cale, Seckmeht and Anubis and let  
  
out a high pitched whistle. "Hey! Butt kissing servants of a demon!" She shouted and  
  
mocked waved as she jumped down into an alley but out of the sight of the Warlords  
  
changed directions and landed in another place. "That was too easy." She muttered.  
  
By this time Cye had managed to get the rest of the people away with the help of the other  
  
Ronins and was wondering where Hope was. "What a time for that so called 'armor  
  
bearer' to take off." He muttered to himself, as he suddenly felt Hope's worry through the  
  
armor link.  
  
Hope walked down the alley, looking around. She still didn't know where Dais was and  
  
that worried her. "Great, I lose three and I might just end up with the worst of them." She  
  
muttered to herself. Suddenly, Hope felt something reach across her arm. Then more. As  
  
she looked, she saw spider webs, reaching down toward her. "So, welcome to my lair,  
  
said the spider to the fly. Or in this case, the spider to the prey." said Dais.  
  
"Let go!" Hope shouted trying to break the webbing. "And why should I, little fly? You'll  
  
make a tasty treat for one of our sessions, when we make you scream, your anguish will  
  
feed the Nether Spirits, and help bring the Dynasty one step closer to conquering this  
  
pitiful realm." Dais said, bragging as he drew her closer. "Why don't you let me go and I'll  
  
show you who will be screaming!" She growled.  
  
"Make me." Stated the Warlord of Illusion, as he drew her in closer, his body seemingly a  
  
giant spider. Hope's jerking only seemed to tighten the webbing's grip on her. *I can't get  
  
loose! It'll take ... my kursai gama! If I can just reach it!* She thought straining to garb  
  
her weapon but tensed hearing more footsteps.  
  
"So Dais, you finally managed to succeed, where the rest of us failed. Well done." stated  
  
Cale, as he looked on, a pleased gleam in his eyes. "Oh great, more company." Hope  
  
muttered and turned her body some, hiding her movements, if they saw what she was  
  
trying to do she knew they would stop her.  
  
"Thank you for the compliment, Hunter. Sometimes, a trap works better than a direct  
  
approach." Dais, stated, a smirk forming on his face, beneath his armor. *Almost got it.*  
  
Hope thought ignoring the two Warlords, she couldn't get distract or she miss her one  
  
chance of escape.  
  
"What do you mean, a trap works better than the direct approach! If not for my direct  
  
approach, she would never have been brought here, and captured by your so called webs."  
  
Cale responded, his eyes flashing as darkly. Hope snorted. *Oh yea, that the Warlords I  
  
heard of.* She thought as she garbed her weapon. *Now to just ...* Suddenly a hand garbed  
  
her wrist and twisted her arm painfully. "Not thinking of trying to escape are we?" Seckmeht  
  
asked twisting Hope's arm tightly behind her back.  
  
"And what makes you think I would do that, Warlord." Hope answered, her voice  
  
innocent, while trying to use her free hand to grab her weapon. Suddenly she heard  
  
laughter. "You was trying to draw your weapon." She heard Anubis say as he joined  
  
them. "We are not that foolish boy." He hissed. *Boy? Oh yea I forgot up until me and  
  
Kayura there was no female armor bearers.* Hope thought.  
  
As the warlords talked, Hope finally managed to get her weapon free with her other hand.   
  
*I just hope that those lessons that Uncle Anubis taught me will pay off.* She thought to herself.  
  
Suddenly, a gush of water, knocked Dais out of his webs! "Cye!" Hope called to him as a  
  
blur of red knocked Seckmeht away from her and cut some of the webbing, loosing her  
  
as she cut the rest. She looked at the armored figure. "Ryo." She said then looked over his  
  
shoulder.   
  
"Look out!" She shouted and shoved him to the side as Cale attacked. "You puny Ronins!  
  
How dare you spoil our fun!" Snapped Cale, as he tried to pull his sword. "Thunderbolt  
  
Cut!" Came the cry and the warlords were blinded by the bright light. "Get her down Ryo,  
  
and we'll make sure that we can get her to safety with the rest of the people." Came a  
  
familiar voice. *Kento? The walking garbage disposal is here too?* Hope thought to  
  
herself.  
  
"Come on." Ryo pulled but Hope cried out garbing her chest as a pain sliced though her,  
  
nearly driving her to her knees. "Just get out of here Ryo." She said to him. Ryo shook his  
  
head. "No way! We still need to get you to safety, just like the rest of the people!" Replied  
  
the bearer of the Wildfire armor.  
  
Hope didn't know why she felt so much pain thorough her, she hadn't took a hit there. *Something else.* She thought as Ryo pulled her up, forcing her to run. But instead of making it worse  
  
that eased the pain. *Werider.* She thought as she ran with him.  
  
"You Ronins! We will hunt you down. You cannot hide forever, little Ronins!" mocked  
  
Cale as the team took off from the ambush. Hope growled softly. "Hold one second." She  
  
said to Ryo and garbed her weapon.   
  
"Quake With Fear!" She used her sure kill on Cale. "There! That shut him up." She  
  
muttered. The attack brought a section of the building down on the Warlords, as the  
  
Elemental Ronins and Hope took off. 


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
As they ran Kento looked over at Hope who was still was full battle armor. "One quick  
  
question Babe: How did you know how to do that? I mean, I thought that only the  
  
Warlords could do that?" Asked Kento, his brain a little fuzzy over what had just  
  
happened. "The sure kill is part of the armor." She said looking out at him. "And the  
  
armor is a part of me. It's just like with you and your armors." She said guessing Cye told  
  
the other she was a girl.  
  
A few minutes later, Cye slipped by her. "I do wonder why are you bearing Anubis's  
  
armor and how?" He asked, as they reached the house that they were using as a base of  
  
operations. "I'm sorry but I can't answer that." Hope said as she stopped and power down  
  
to street clothes. "This where I leave." She said.  
  
Ryo shook his head. "Sorry kid, but until this mystery is solved, and the Warlords are sent  
  
packing, you're staying here. I still have some questions for you." Ryo stated, staring her  
  
right in the eyes. Hope stepped away from him. "No Ryo, until I know where I am and  
  
solve a mystery of my own I am lone wolf." She said.  
  
"Hey, it would be great to have a girl around here to help clean up the place. I mean,  
  
it gets messy with five guys living on their own here." Kento suggested, drawing a VERY  
  
cold look from Hope.  
  
"Kento, if I wasn't a Ronin I kick your butt to kingdom come for that one." She hissed as  
  
she turned to leave but suddenly grabbed her side. *Snap it must have been when Dais got  
  
me.* She thought, blood was seeping thorough her shirt from her rib area. Sage saw what  
  
was happening, and immediately moved to her side. "You need to stay put, while I tend to  
  
this." he said, as he used the power of his armor to tend to the wound.  
  
Hope stood still though she was tense she kept her eyes on her side as he healed her.  
  
"Thanks Sage." She said looking at him briefly then stepping away. "Why don't you stay.  
  
Kento may be a pig at times." Cye said, causing pillows to be thrown at him by the Ronin  
  
of Justice. "But he means well. And, with five of us helping you, you might have a better  
  
chance of solving the dilemma that you have on your hands." Cye suggested.  
  
Hope shook her head. "Sorry Cye, I can't. I will stay near by. And of course," She grinned  
  
some. "Help kick the Warlords butts. But I got to do this alone. You got your own problems."  
  
Rowen stood up, yawning.   
  
"Will you knock it off already! Can't a guy get a decent sleep without everyone yelling   
  
and fighting." Moaned the Ronin of Life. "If you didn't stay up all night you get some sleep!"  
  
Sage and Hope snapped at the same time, the five Ronins looked at Hope in surprise and   
  
some suspicion. *Oops, I did it again.* She thought.  
  
"Perhaps, you might want to explain HOW you came to be wearing Anubis's armor, using  
  
his weapon and his special attack." Ryo stated, blocking the door to the outside until he  
  
got the answers he wanted. "I can't tell you that." She said. "And why not?" Ryo  
  
demanded in a very cold voice, his tiger blue eyes turning iceberg cold.  
  
Hope sighed and took something for her pocket, one of the three smoke balls she kept  
  
with her. "I'm sorry Ryo but until I know why I can't explain. I call tell you one thing: I  
  
am called Hope." She said and threw the smoke ball, as the smoke filled the room she  
  
slipped passed Ryo.   
  
As Hope slipped out the door, she looked back. She hated having to do that, but she  
  
couldn't tell them anything until she figured out WHERE she was! One thing was certain:   
  
This wasn't the Toyoma that she was familiar with. 


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
Hope slipped into a half destroyed building as night fell. *Guys, my uncles. I hope you  
  
are ok. And know I will get back to you. Some how.* She thought as she touched her  
  
locket then sat down leaned her head back against a wall. Knowing it would be a long  
  
night.  
  
Over the next week Hope had been training, avoiding both the Ronins and Warlords  
  
though she fought the soldiers that she crossed paths with. It was several nights after she  
  
first came to this world that Hope heard a familiar sound in her dreams. The sound of  
  
chimes, as the rings on the Ancient Staff rang in her dreams.   
  
(dream)   
  
"Ancient One?" Hope asked. As Hope turned in her dream, she saw the familiar form of  
  
the Ancient One. "Greetings, my child. I have been searching many dimensions, trying to  
  
find you, and tell you why you were brought here." he said to her.  
  
"Why am I here? Or for that matter where is here?" She asked the mentor of the Ronin  
  
Warriors. "You have been sent to an alternate dimension. A dimension similar too, but  
  
much different than the world you came from. In this world, the Ronins are in disarray.  
  
The Warlords are united, and have run of Toyoma. Talpa is planning on uniting both  
  
worlds, and trying to gain control of all the armors." He explained to her.  
  
"Like in the Dynasty Wars. Only worse." Hope said then thought back on the battles she  
  
seen thus far. "Ancient in this world ... will .... will the Dynasty win?" She asked, almost  
  
afraid of the answer. "That is unknown. It is possible, IF the Ronins do not work  
  
together. But you have a second mission, besides uniting the Ronins, my child." stated the  
  
Ancient. "What is that?" Hope asked surprised.   
  
"You are aware that the Warlords are here, including Anubis? But the time has come for  
  
them to seek out their heirs. If they do not find their heirs, then Talpa will gain control of  
  
the armors, and use them to aid him in uniting the two worlds." he told her, Hope was  
  
shocked. "Their heirs?"   
  
"Yes. You are the heir to Anubis, because the bearer of the armor in this world died. You  
  
must find the other three, and with them, along with the Ronins, free this world from  
  
Talpa." the Ancient stated "But Anubis isn't dead!" She said. "Find the other heirs Hope."  
  
He said and disappeared as .....   
  
(end dream)   
  
As Hope woke she looked at the kanji orb in her hands and then going to the outskirts of  
  
town. 


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
As Hope left that morning, she thought long and hard about what she had learned.  
  
*Perhaps if I used the link, I can contact Anubis, and have him come out and talk. He was  
  
always the one most open to new ideas.* She thought to herself.  
  
*I just hope he doesn't bring his comrades and make it open season on me.*  
  
She thought as she focused she felt a dull pain as she went to full armor, she wanted him  
  
to keep thinking she was a boy. It would be safer. Anubis. She called though the armor  
  
link. If you can hear me answer.  
  
Who DARES to try and contact the Warlord of Cruelty? Came back the voice, one filled  
  
with anger and arrogance. *Oh boy he is definitely arrogant.* Hope thought. Who do you  
  
think? She called back. I wish to speak to you. Come alone lest you have no honor for  
  
even that. Hope called, she got an reply almost instantly.   
  
Meet me at the site of the former university. We will talk there and if you think that  
  
because you can contact me over my armor, means that I will listen, you are mistaken. I  
  
am only coming to find out WHO else has the armor that is mine, and MINE ALONE!  
  
Anubis snapped, as he closed the link.  
  
Hope bit her tounge to keep from reopening the link and cursing him out. "Men!" She  
  
hissed to the sky as she went to where the university was once. She looked around  
  
cautiously for any traps. A few minutes later, Anubis showed up. "I am here, little boy.  
  
Tell me, how did you get my armor, and from whom?" Anubis arrogantly demanded.  
  
*Heh altest I still have that over him.* Hope thought as she kept a distance, she didn't live  
  
to see the age of sixteen for nothing. "Like to ask you the same question." She said, in a  
  
prefect imitation of Anubis's voice. Anyone looking now would not be able to tell the two  
  
apart.   
  
"YOU WILL ANSWER ME CHILD!" Anubis snapped at her as he went to sub armor.  
  
"Temper, temper Anubis." She said in a mocking tone of voice, she couldn't help herself.  
  
"I do not know how I came across the armor of Cruelty once again. Only that when I  
  
came here the armor found me." She answered.  
  
"What do you mean, when you came here? I am the bearer of the Armor of Cruelty, also  
  
known as the armor of the Ogre!" he snapped. "And the bearer is also known as the  
  
Warrior of Spring, with virtue of Loyalty." She answered, she guessed that in this world  
  
altest only he and the other Warlords would know that. Anubis quickly moved toward  
  
her. "For one who is so young, you know much! Too much to live!" He snapped.  
  
Hope jumped up, using her own agility and the strength of the armor to jump in the air  
  
and land behind Anubis. "I'm sorry." She whispered as she wrapped the chain of her  
  
weapon around his neck, cutting off his air. Hope kept a tight and steady grip though he  
  
struggled. "For this." She completed.   
  
"I am just a servant of Master Talpa. All of this is for his glory!" Anubis said, trying to  
  
understand her fury. "That why Anubis. I won't let ...." She stopped. What was she  
  
saying? She knew well what would happen but ... *I can't. That what I am here for, to  
  
help in bringing the Warlords over before it is too late! I got to make them see the turth!*  
  
She thought.   
  
"I won't let Talpa use you. Talpa is using you and your comrades. He doesn't care about  
  
you or this realm. All he wants is the armors, nothing more." Hope quietly said. Hope  
  
kept the chain tight enough so he couldn't draw his weapon though he tried. *Come on,  
  
come on.* She thought, she knew if he didn't yield or pass out she'd let go soon, she  
  
wouldn't kill him, she doubt she could.   
  
"Prove it. Prove what you are saying." he stated, his voice coming in wheezes. "Do you  
  
yield?" She asked. "Prove it, and I will yield." he said. "IF you do not yield you are A  
  
FOOL!" She shouted. "We share the armor thus the same virtue: loyalty." She said as the  
  
virtue started to shine.   
  
Before Anubis could answer, a familiar sound was heard: "SNAKE FANG STRIKE!"  
  
Seckmeht had somehow found them! Hope let go of Anubis and jumped back from the  
  
two. "How did you find us?" She hissed at the Warlord of Venom. "I never trusted  
  
Anubis! Anyone who feels that honor is the best thing to deal with an opponent is a fool!"  
  
he hissed. "For once we agree on something." Hope looked up at Dais and Cale. "Great."  
  
She muttered. "Just what I needed."   
  
"So, little child, you came back. My spiders are still itching to taste you." said Dais. Cale  
  
had his no-datchi out, ready to unleash a bolt of black lighting at her, and Hope was still  
  
trying to dodge an occasional shot from Seckmeht.   
  
Hope thanked every force she knew for not having slacked off when she lost the armor.  
  
*He fights well. Almost better the Ronin pests.* Anubis thought watching Hope tried to  
  
get out of hitting range. Suddenly, one of Cale's shots got through and hit Hope on the  
  
helmet. It came flying off, revealing Hope's true form!   
  
*Uh oh.* She thought as she looked up at the Warlords, her red - brown hair fell to it's  
  
full length and her pale blue eyes took in the Warlords as they saw their opponent was no  
  
other then a sixteen year old girl. 


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Anubis took one look at her and was dumbfounded: "A GIRL? We've been fighting A GIRL!" Hope glanced at the other Warlords, anger and shock was their expressions. "Figured it out? Took you long enough." She snapped at him as she quickly retrieved her helmet.  
  
"A girl, bearing my armor? How can that be?" Muttered Anubis. Hope snorted. "How is it there will come a day your only relative would repeat your actions." She said as she retrieved another smoke ball. "Until we meet again Warlords and believe me it will be soon." She hissed as she used the smoke ball and fled the scene again.  
  
As she left, Hope just shook her head. Her attempt to talk to Anubis had failed, miserably. And there was no way she was going to talk to the Ronins about this. Basically, her mission had failed. "I give up!!" She said as she stopped alongside a river and jumped over a rock.   
  
As she landed she felt something gently hit over her heart, it was her locket. She opened it and looked at one of the pictures, the picture of the five Elemental Ronins or her 'brothers' as she called them, her four uncles, Yuli, Mia, Kayura and White Blaze. She sighed to herself. "No I can't give up. If I am ever going to get home I have to do something, but I'm not sure I even know what that is." She said.  
  
"Perhaps you need a fresh perspective on things." Come a somewhat familiar voice. Hope turned and was surprised to see Mia! But this wasn't the Mia that she was familiar with. "I don't believe it." She said looking at the woman before her.   
  
  
  
In the garb of the Ancient one was MIA KOJI! "Mia?" Hope asked her mouth gone dry. "Yes and no, Hope. I was Mia Koji, but I also serve as the Ancient on this world." Hope shook her head. "This just keeping getting weirder and weirder." She said. Mia smiled softly. "That is one of the things we need to talk about." She said, as she gestured toward a seat that was nearby. Hope sat down wearily, she had been on her feet for hours without much sleep.  
  
"Rest, young Ronin and Seasonal. Rest and when you awaken, I will explain all to you." Mia said, as she pulled a blanket over the young woman, who was resting for the first time in several days. Hope didn't know how long she slept, all she knew is it was probably the most exhausted sleep she ever had. She woke up and saw Mia near by her.  
  
"Are you feeling better Hope?" she asked, as the young woman awoke from her sleep. "Yes, much. But I am as confused as before." Mia nodded. "I will try and explain what has happened. Hopefully, that will explain what is going on here." she said. Hope nodded and listened. The Ancient sighed.   
  
"As you have seen, in this world, the battle between the Ronins and the Warlords has been going on for some time. HOWEVER, the time for the armors to be passed on is rapidly approaching. The Warlords don't realize it, and until they are freed from Talpa's control, the armors will remain in the hands of darkness." she said, holding onto the Ancient staff. "What can I do then?"  
  
"Two things: 1) Help get the next generation of armor bearers together. They need to be ready for when the time comes for them to accept the armors. 2) Try and convince the Warlords to leave Talpa. The first one to try it with would be the one who's armor you bear. Talk to Anubis." Mia said.   
  
"I think that right now Anubis would sooner kill me then look at me. Much less listen to me." "You need to and soon. You may have noticed that you are in pain whenever you use your armor?" Mia stated, looking directly at Hope. Hope nodded. "Yea I have."   
  
"That is because there is a bearer of the armor of Cruelty on this world. The two armors are interacting. Until you bear the proper armor, you will continue to be in pain. The more you use the armor, the worse the pain will become until it kills you." Mia said, her tone letting Hope know the seriousness of the situation she was in.   
  
Hope cursed under her breath. "Anubis won't be easy to talk to and right now I think finding and protecting the other heirs are more important." "You need to try Hope. He is the most honorable of all the Warlords. If anyone of them will listen, it will be him." Mia said, as she started to fade from sight. Hope nodded. "I'll try." She whispered walking away. 


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12   
  
As Hope left Mia, she was wondering where to find the next of the Seasonal Armor bearers who would take over for the current generation, when she almost stepped on a snake that was moving along the road.  
  
Hope looked at the snake and froze, it was a pit viper. "Oh man, what tricks in Seckmeht up to now?" She asked, backing slowly not making any sudden movement to frighten the snake into biting. "Asher! Where are you Asher! When I get my hands on you, you're going to have NO rodents for a week!" A young male voice called out.   
  
The snake hissed and flicked his tounge as a darkly tanned young man with spiked green hair and dark brown eyes walked over to Hope and the snake. Hope's mind's eye flash back to one of her dreams.  
  
:flashback:   
  
"So which way Hope?" A male voice asked to her side, Hope turned to face a young man she couldn't make out his face but she knew he was a friend.   
  
:end flash back:   
  
The young man looked at Hope then at her sub armor. "Who are you, what are you wearing, and how well does it protect you against snake bites?" He asked, as he carefully carried the pit viper back to its cage.  
  
"Hope, sub armor and I don't know." She said quickly. "My name is George Anderson, and you already met one of my charges." The young man said, looking carefully at the pit viper he was carrying in his arms.  
  
George carefully escorted Hope to his office. "Got to feed my pets. You're welcome to look around: Just don't touch any of the snake equipment." he said. Hope looked at him. "Hey, how did you escape from the Warlords and soldiers?" She asked him. "I just laid low. Taking care of snakes teaches you how to stay calm, and not attract attention." He answered, as he grabbed several mice from a cage.  
  
Hope nodded but looked away as he fed his snakes, even though she spent some time with her uncle she still couldn't bring herself to watch a snake eat. "So you stay here alone?" "I work here, when I wasn't attending school, atlest before the Dynasty attacked. I'm an exchange student from Canada." George said, heading toward the snake cages.  
  
"So I see." Hope said looking around. "So answer me something." He asked suddenly from behind her. "Why are you wearing sub armor. You aren't one of the Warlords." Hope quickly switched to street clothes. "That is a long story, and one I think you might be interested in." Hope quickly responded, forgetting she had been in sub armor, she was so use to it she didn't think about it.  
  
She turned to face George, he was watching her cautiously and with a bit of suspicion. *And I can't blame him.* She thought to herself. "My name is Hope, I am the heir to the armor of Cruelty." Hope said. "What do you mean that you're the heir to the armor of Cruelty? I thought that only Anubis had that armor?" George asked, surprise showing in his voice.   
  
"It is but you see I am, kinda, from an another world, a parallel dimension if you will, in that world after Anubis, my uncle, died and after I turned fifteen the armor came to me. I wore it until I dead, I was brought back to life. And some how when I was brought here I was able to access the armor. I've been using it to fight and defeat the Warlords." Hope said and explained what she didn't explain to the Ronins, who she was, where she was from and what she been doing since she got here.  
  
"But if you are a relative of the Warlords, why are you fighting them?" He asked, disbelief showing in his voice. "Because I have to, I am not related to the ones in this world but even if I was I would fight them. My loyalty is to my cause , to the mortal world." Hope said solemnly. "But if you are loyal to the mortal realm, then why are you here, at this time?" George asked.   
  
"From what I gather I am here to covert the Warlords to the good side, help the Ronins and find the other heirs to the Seasonal armors." George's jaw hit the floor! "Heirs to the Seasonals? Who are they?" He asked. "I'm not sure ...." Hope shot him a side ways look. "What? What is it?" George asked. "Well .... listen ... it a shot in the dark ... George do you have any strange things happen to you, a call drawing you to Tomaya or an ability others do not have."  
  
"I have a small ability to heal others, especially those who are bitten by snakes." George replied though slightly confused on what she was getting at. Hope nodded. "Then you are one of them." "WHAT! YOU'RE NUTS! I'M NO HEIR!" He yelled. "I'm just a exchange student. Nothing more." George snapped, returning to his snakes. Hope put her hand on his shoulder. "George, your connection to snakes and your ability leads me to believe other wise."  
  
"I'm no armor bearer! I just like snakes, that's all." He said but sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Hope. "George try calling for the armor. If you're not a bearer, it won't respond." She suggested. "But if Seckmeht has the armor ..." "He will feel the pull and so will you. It is a risk we will have to take." Hope said. George nodded, reluctantly. " Armor of Venom!" he yelled.  
  
In the Dynasty .... Seckmeht was arguing with Cale when he suddenly kneeled over with pain. "What in the name of the mortal world!?" He exclaimed.   
  
As Seckmeht was bowled over in pain, George found himself in the Venom's   
  
sub armor! George looked like he would have a heart attack as the sub armor left. "Unlike me, you can't bear arms just yet but soon." Hope said softly.   
  
"What... How.. I mean, why am I the heir of the Venom Armor?" he asked, his voice showing disbelief. "Fate." Hope answered. "Why me? Why me? I'm just a simple student?" he yelled. "George calm down!" Hope shouted shaking him by the shoulders.   
  
George finally calmed down. "Ok. If I'm the one to bear one day Venom, then who are the other Warlords heir?" he asked. "I do not know. Will you help in finding them? The Warlords don't yet know of the existence of the heirs, I've kept them distracted with the loud mouth girl who is always fighting them."  
  
George quietly chuckled. "I'll help in any way I can. But if you and I are the first two, then are they all going to be girls or are they all going to be guys?" "I don't know. My suggestion is you find the Ronins, tell the Hope sent you, they will watch after you." George nodded. "OK. Thanks for the tip. Let me finish feeding the snakes, and I'll try and contact them." he answered.  
  
Hope shook her head. "On second thought I will get them, see if you can stay with them." She said. George nodded. "Just don't have them harm the snakes. I'm responsible for them." He said, as Hope slipped out the door.  
  
  
  
Hope sighed as she left George, she was glad she found the first of the heirs but she knew she had brought another person into the fighting. *We already have one too many.* She thought as she headed to where she hoped the Ronins would be. She was worried about leaving George alone but some how she knew he would be all right.  
  
George quickly moved back to the zoo, to check on his pets, and his other responsibilities. *And to think that I'm one of a few people who might be able to stop all of this! But first, I need to try and convince MY armor bearer to stop fighting, and stop Talpa. But that is not going to be easy!* He thought to himself.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Meanwhile ... "You want us to do what?" Ryo asked Hope. "Please, I know it is weird but he is involved in the fighting. And he can be of some help, he can also heal so he can help Sage out there." She said. "Ok so you want us to watch after him. All right Hope but you own us." Ryo said. Hope frowned but nodded. "Thank you Ryo. I will bring him here." She said.  
  
As Hope left, she felt a familiar longing. She once again missed her friend Yuli who was like her little brother. "I look forward to the time when I can see you again." She quietly said, looking to the sky. Hope didn't pay attention to where she was walking or the area around her, a deep feeling of homesickness getting the better of her.  
  
Suddenly, she felt, rather than heard, a familiar Sure Kill coming toward her. "Black Lightning Slash!" Came the cry, as Cale struck out with his energy blast! Hope dropped to the ground and rolled out of danger's way. "Don't you have someone else to chase, you pain in the neck!" She shouted at him.   
  
"Not as long as you dare try to upset Master Talpa's plans for this world!" He snapped, as he prepared another strike at her. "Here we go again." Hope muttered under her breath. "Armor of Cruel ..." But suddenly a chain wrapped around her neck, cutting her off!   
  
"Not this time, little Ronin. This time, Master Talpa WILL have you and your armor. One more step toward uniting the two realms." Anubis said, wrapped the chain tightly around Hope's throat. Hope tried to pull the chain off her but Anubis pulled it tighter, it bit into her open skin now, Hope knew she had to be something, and fast!  
  
As Anubis prepared to choke down Hope, another Sure Kill was sounded: "IRON ROCK CRUSHER!" Kento's sure kill upset Anubis and Cale's plan, forcing them to retreat. After the chain released her and Anubis left Hope went to her knees, gasping for air.   
  
"Thank .... Kento .... thanks ..... alot." She said between gasps of air and some coughs. Kento just smirked. "No problem. Just remember that when you get back, you clean up my room! Then we be even." He said, with a smirk on his face.   
  
Hope laughed softly. "Sure thing." She said as she went to get to the place George was. She didn't know her neck was bleeding until she found him and saw the look on his face. "What?" "You got a heck of cut on your neck." George said, as he grabbed his first aid kit. A few minutes later, the cut was bandaged. "OK Hope, what happened?" he said, motioning her to sit down.  
  
  
  
"Just had a run in with the Warlords. No biggie." Hope said causally. George just shook his head. "When are you going to watch out for them? Until we can get them away from Talpa, we are still in danger, especially you." He said, as he started pacing. "Me?" Hope asked in surprised. "How am I especially in danger?"   
  
"You are the one who is trying to pull us together. Without you, we would split and be easy pickings for the Warlords. Not to mention you are the only one of the heirs that fight them. Do you understand what I'm saying!" George stated. Hope nodded. "I hear. Now get ready, the Ronins agreed to watch after you. Now I want you to stay with them but don't tell them about the heirs. I don't think they are ready for that." She said.  
  
George shook his head. "How much can we trust them?" he asked. "Enough so that you stay with them and listen to them but not enough as you don't tell them about the heirs or anything like that." George nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. And who knows, maybe we can learn something from each other." He quietly stated. Hope nodded. "Yea, I will take you to them, make sure things are ok." She said her face blank as she helped him though she was careful around the snakes.  
  
"What's the matter Hope? Snakes got your tounge or your brain?" George asked, teasing her. "Huh? Oh no." She said. "I just don't wanna be bitten." She said. George just laughed. "I may not have Seckmeht's full control over them, but I know enough as to which ones are poisonous and which ones aren't." "So do I. I sometimes helped my uncle back ... back home." Hope said softly.  
  
  
  
"I take it you still miss all of them." George quietly said, putting his arm around her shoulder. Hope nodded. "Yea, my uncles are probably about to have heart attacks by now, the boys I call my brothers probably searched the city for me a thousand times. Kayura probably tried a thousand spells and Yuli and Mia are probably pretty worried." She said.  
  
"I know. If I can help in any way, let me know. I may not be your family, but I'm a good listener. You have to be, when you work with snakes." He quietly said. Hope nodded. "Yea I know. Come on, you might need to let some of these guys loose or give them enough food for a couple days. I don't think the Ronins will watch after them." George just quietly smiled, and put enough food out on a schedule for at least a week. "That should keep them satisfied. Now, lets get back and meet up with the Ronins. I don't want to keep them waiting TOO long!" he said, trying to lighten up the mood in the room.  
  
Hope laughed some and nodded. She looked around outside carefully to make sure it was clear as they went to where the Ronins was. "OK. Train with them, trust them somewhat, just don't tell them about the armor heirs. Right?" George asked, as they approached the house.   
  
"Right." Hope said and walked inside. "Guys, this George. George these are the Ronin Warriors." She introduced the six young men. George nodded, as he met up with each one.   
  
He came to realize that he and Cye would get along well, and the same might go for Ryo. Rowen, was a mystery. Sage was a enigma waiting to be unfolded. Kento might be a problem. Hope watched as the six young men eyed one another she frowned and stepped protectively beside George.  
  
  
  
"What's the big deal with this guy, Hope? You're acting like he's one of us." Said Rowen noticing her stance. *Because he is.* Hope thought but said. "He is a friend to me, a good friend." She said. Cye stepped forward. "Well, as one who appreciates what Hope has done, I welcome you. I hope that you will feel welcome here." he stated. George nodded. "So do I." He said cautiously as he sized the other Ronins up.  
  
"Just so long as he doesn't eat up all the food, we'll get along fine." Muttered Kento. "Right. You look like you could use a diet!" George retorted. "Hey!" Kento said but Ryo put his hand on this shoulder to keep him from going after George.   
  
The next one up was Sage. "So, what were you doing when Hope grabbed you?" He sarcastically asked. "A research project for the university." George responded. "And really he garbed me. Saved me from a 'vicious' viper." Hope grinned at George who grinned back at their inside joke.  
  
"So, you were doing research for the University. I'm hoping to go there after all of this is taken care of." stated Rowen, who was STILL trying to wake up after all that had been going on. George nodded as Hope stepped back. She looked at Ryo and nodded to the door and motioned to herself behind George's back. Ryo nodded some, knowing she was going and he wouldn't stop her as she started to slip away.  
  
"So, Cye, why don't you and I see about rustling up some grub for everyone. It looks like you could use a cook around here." George suggested. Cye nodded as Hope slipped out. "Yea come on." He said. 


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
As Hope slipped out, she met up with Mia. "I found one of the heir but Warlord wise, no success so far." Hope said. Mia nodded. "I know Hope, you have tried but you must keep trying. As well as look for the other two heirs." Mia said.   
  
"I know, but its not easy. And I miss Yuli and the others." Hope quietly said. Mia put a hand on her shoulder. "I know Hope, as soon as your mission is over here you will be able to return to them." She said. "Do you think they know I am alive?" Hope asked quietly.  
  
"I do not know Hope. I know that on this world, you are not. Your ... 'copy' if you will, was a stillborn. That is why you can use the Armor of Cruelty as Anubis can. But sooner or later, he will see the light. Just keep trying." Mia responded. Hope nodded. "I know." She said.   
  
"I have to go, find a place to rest for the night so I can continue my mission." She said. "You know that you can rest in the same house as the Ronins. They would not harm you." Mia suggested. Hope shook her head. "No, I will fight alone." She said and walked off.  
  
"Hope, you cannot keep being a lone wolf. Sooner or later, it will come back to harm you." Mia said. "Until then." Hope said stubbornly, Mia sighed. *She even sounds like Anubis.* She thought as she left the young armor bearer alone to walk the streets.  
  
As Hope walked the streets, she had her mind on two things: 1) Finding a place for the night. 2) Finding the remaining heirs. *Finding the heirs won't be easy. If only there was something that could point me toward who is supposed to be the heirs.* She thought to herself.  
  
Hope wondered about her dreams then snapped her fingers. "Of course! They was telling the future! My foresight is kicking back in." She muttered. "Ok so I look for two other girls." That picked Hope's spirits up considerably, as she looked for a place to rest for the night. Hope found a place to sleep, another abanonded building.   
  
As Hope laid a backpack with some food she managed to scrounge she heard soft footsteps. "Mia I told you ..." Hope started to turn around, all she saw the bunt of a sword and pain exploded in the right side of her head as she was knocked out. 


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
When Hope finally awoke, she found herself tied up, her wrists behind her back and ankles tied together, she pushed herself up into a sitting postion and looked up, she saw Seckmeht looking down at her. "Ahh, I was afraid that I hit you too hard last night. Now, I have a few questions for you. Answer them, and you can go free. Refuse, and I will punish you." He said.  
  
"Ethier way I am dead. You'll kill me if I answered you or not." She hissed sturggling aganist the ropes. "And what makes you think I would do that? Master Talpa might be able to find use for you." Seckmeht said, as some of his snakes crawled toward Hope. Hope stayed calm, one reason she handled snakes was to overcome any fear she might have. She didn't even blink or make any motions to show fear or disgust. "Brave for a girl." She heard a voice hiss from behind her.  
  
"Dais." She muttered, as she recognized the shadow that fell over her. "She knows you." Cale said also appering on the scene. *Man are they all here?* Hope wondered and felt her stomach slam into her thinking about that, her armor orb was in her pocket but due to her wrists being tied together behind her she couldn't reach it and they had removed her weapons. She couldn't get loose or cut the ropes.   
  
"So, will you co-operate, or do we have to do this the hard way?" The warlord of Venom asked. Suddenly, another voice was heard. "What is this? This is not the honorable way to treat a foe, especially a woman!" It said. Hope looked up and saw that it was Anubis.  
  
*Like you know a thing about honor.* She wanted to snap, feeling dry blood beneath the banage on her neck but she didn't say anything. She knew better. "Why don't you take your honor and put it up. This is our session, not yours!" Responded Dais.   
  
Anubis went over to him and garbed him by the collar. "Have you forgotten that we do not make war on women? Even if they are Ronins, we do not make war on them!" he hissed, as he dropped Dais into the dirt.  
  
That surprised Hope, most of the time being a female Ronin seemed to be took as an insult, a reason to be rougher or tougher on her then on her male comrades. Never as a reason not to fight her. "She knows the Ronins. Perhaps she knows where they are at as well." Suggested Cale. "I won't tell you." Hope suddenly spoke up drawing the Warlords' attention back to her. "I won't." She swore friecely.   
  
"Then cut her loose. We will get no information from her." said Anubis, drawing stares from Dais and Seckmeht. "Don't be so sure about that." Cale said giving Hope a look that sent a chill of fear stairght down her spine. "I said, Let ... Her ... GO!" snapped Anubis, as he summoned his armor.  
  
Cale looked at him. "You are letting her being a female cloud your jugdement Anubis." He hissed at his comrade. "She is our enemy." He snapped. "And I said Cale. We do not make war against women! Even if she is a Ronin, she will not cooperate, this one is strong willed, you know that by the way she looks at you now. She would use her own weapon on herself before she betaryed the Ronins. And making war against her, will cause us nothing but grief. Now, let her go!" He snapped.  
  
Hope heard Dais say something to Seckmeht though she couldn't make it out, he didn't look happy about it but cut the ropes holding Hope, nicking her some pruposly. Hope tossed him a look as she slowly climbed her to feet, trying to keep an eye on the four of them.   
  
A minute later, the Warlords left, all but Anubis. "I am sorry. If I had lead the mission, you would not have been harmed." Anubis said, as he prepared to return to the Dynasty.  
  
"Anubis!" She called to him causing him to stop. "Why did you let me go?" She asked not believing she been allowed her freedom so easily. Anubis turned toward her. "As I said, we are not supposed to make war against women and children. It is not honorable." He simply said.   
  
"But." Hope heard his tone suddenly go cold. "Keep getting in our way and I will destory you or capture you. Stay out of our way Copycat. Or forfiet the boon I have given you."  
  
"Then look at me Anubis. Look and listen, for what I give you is a glimpse of the future. The time will come when Talpa will send the other warlords for you. And the only reason that Talpa is sending them after you is because he wants your armor dispite their own reasons for coming after you. Think long and hard on that Anubis." Hope stated, in a very cold voice.  
  
Anubis said nothing. "My comrades won't speak about this. Copycat." He snickered. "Uncl .... Anubis." Hope said almost forgetting herself as she looked at him. "Just because I am your heir doesn't mean I won't keep fighting. I will do what I have to, you do the same." She said, she saw Anubis's eyes widen as she used her last smoke ball and fled from the scene she knew up until then he thought she just had a copy of her armor. Not that she was his heir.  
  
After the smoke cleared, Anubis returned to his quarters in the Dynasty to think on what he had just found out. *Why would Master Talpa want my armor? He has much power already, so why would he want my armor? And why would he send my brothers in arms after me to collect it?* He thought to himself.  
  
*I just hope he listens to me.* Hope thought after she saw Anubis leave, she used the smoke as a cover to duck into a spot out of sight, to wacth him. But she too left after he did. 


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 16  
  
Hope started to walk away when she heard some soldiers. She saw them chasing a pale, eighteen year old, green eyed, black hair girl. Hope immediately went to aid the young lady, using her armor to take out many of the soldiers.   
  
Finally, they gave up, and left them alone. Hope looked at the girl and ducked a cement block that flew thourgh the air! "Yikes, hey knock it off!" She yelped as she powered down. The girl looked at her in shock. "I thought you was one of the Warlords, I'm sorry." She said  
  
Hope just shook her head. "That seems happens a lot lately. My name is Hope. I'm fighting the Warlords." She stated. "I'm Linda." The girl repiled. "I'm been running from the soldiers and Warlords." She said. "That is smart thing to do." Hope said with a small smile then looked at the block of cememt that almost hit her. "So how did you manage to thorw that at me?" She asked.  
  
Linda shrugged her shoulders. "A little mental ability I have called telekenisis. It allows me to move objects with the power of my mind." She answered. Hope froze then. *Telekenisis.* She thought and remembered .....   
  
*flashback*   
  
" ...... But also contected to three others, they are contected to one another by spirit, fate and different abilites for from the power to kill comes the power to heal, darkness brings a clear path of speaking, illusions hide the ability to move moutains and cruelty's knowleage is forsight."   
  
*end flashback*   
  
Hope could almost hear Mia's voice once again. *She is an heir too! Dais's heir!* She thought to herself. "I think, Linda, that we need to have a talk. You and I have something in common." Hope said, as she looked at the dark haired young lady. Linda looked around. "First lets get somewhere safer. I don't want to meet up with the Warlords." She said, Hope nodded.  
  
A few minutes later, the two ladies were safe in a house off on of the lesser used streets. "OK, Hope, you wanted to talk, then lets talk. Why do you say we have something in common?" Linda asked. Hope leaned aganist a wall and slowly begun her story: Who she was, why she was here, about her mission, George and her supicon of Linda also being an heir. "Linda I think you are also an heir. Dais's." She said qiuetly as she looked at the older girl.  
  
Linda looked suspicously at Hope. "What makes you think that I'm the chosen heir for Dais? I don't know ANYTHING about fighting with armor!" She snapped at Hope. "Neither did I until I bore the armor. Like you I knew only how to fight." Hope said. "Your mental ability and the fact of you being in Tomaya at the time of the attack leds me to believe that you are an heir. Like George and I."   
  
"And George is supposed to be Seckmeht's heir? Forgive me for saying this, but all of this is hard to believe!" Said Linda. Hope nodded. "Yea I agree with you there. But as hard as it is to believe it is true Linda." Linda thought it over carefully. "OK, if this is the case, then where are the rest of the heirs?" she asked.  
  
"There is one left: Cale's heir. She is the last one we have to find." Hope said. And knowing our luck it won't be so easy "What's so special about Cale's heir? I mean, he is the Warlord of darkness, cold and wolves, so what is it that makes his heir so special?" Linda asked. "I think she will have a speical ability like the three of us. I have forsight, George has the ability to heal and you have telekenisis." Hope said.  
  
As Hope and her new friend began to make plans for their visit to the Ronin's lair, things were astir in the Dynasty. Hope looked at the sky. *Be careful.* She thought as Talpa demanded his Warlords' apperance.   
  
"You summoned us Master." Said Anubis, as they approached Talpa. "Yes. I have become disturbed by the fact that you have been unable to defeat those acursed Ronin Warriors. Have I not given you the skills and the armors to seek them out, and bring their armors back to me? Why have you FAILED!" Talpa snapped, looking at each one of them.  
  
"Master Talpa, we have done as you asked. We have engaged them in battle time and again, and yet, they seem to have the uncanny nack of being able to pull victory out of defeat. We have no answer." Replied Anubis. Talpa's reaction was quick. A searing blast of light hit him, causing him to scream in pain. "That was a warning. Go forth, and bring me those armors! Or the next time, I will not be so merciful." He said.  
  
  
  
At that moment in the mortal world ... Hope felt pain strike right thourgh her, her knees bucked but she managed to stay on her feet as she crossed her arms over her chest. Hope slowly straight after the pain started to fade. *Talpa must be really upset at Anubis if I felt that here in the mortal world.* She thought to herself. "Hope? What is it?" Linda asked looking at the leader of the heirs in confusion. "We need to get to the Ronins. Soon." Hope said looking around catiously, something was up.   
  
In the Dynasty, Anubis slowly got to his feet. "As you command Master Talpa. We will do all in our power to defeat the Ronins!" he said. "See that you do. I want their armors in my throne room and soon!" he said, as he faded from sight.  
  
Back in the mortal world Hope pulled Linda with her, both teenage girls running to where the Ronins would be. "Come on, I got a bad feeling the Dynasty is up to no good again!" Hop said running falt out with Linda not far behind. "Since when are they ever up to good!" Linda asked as she caught up to Hope and ran beside her. As they approached the Ronin's base, they heard the sound of combat. 


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
They looked on in wonder as the Warlords attempted to do battle with the Ronins.  
  
The Warlords tried everything that they could, but no matter what, they could not  
  
stop the defensive tactics that the Ronins were using, but the Ronins couldn't get pass  
  
the Warlords' offensive tactics. A stallmate.   
  
*The guys gotten better. But they may still need some help.* Hope thought. "Linda stay  
  
out of sight and be careful. I'm going to help out." She said as she armored up. As Hope  
  
slipped into the battle, Anubis was the first to see her. "So, little Copycat, you dare to  
  
enter battle against a Dark Warlord? Be prepared to lose!" Anubis said, as he turned  
  
from his battle with Ryo.  
  
"Don't be so sure Anubis! I am not the bearer of Cruelty for nothing." Hope hissed but  
  
took a qiuck look around, to make sure the other Ronins was ok and to make sure no  
  
Warlord could attack her from behind.   
  
"You may have Cruelty, but you are no match for me, little Copycat! QUAKE WITH  
  
FEAR!" Anubis called out, trying to use his sure kill to stop Hope. But at that excalt same  
  
moment Hope also called her Sure Kill. "QUAKE WITH FEAR!" Their attack clashed  
  
together, deflect both of them out of the way.   
  
"How could you do that?! No one can deflect my attack!" Anubis called out. "I can do it  
  
because I AM wearing your armor! And what makes you think that Talpa will be happy  
  
when you bring him the Ronin armors, if that is what he truly wants! He cares only for  
  
power and merging the realms! If he gets ALL the armors, he will be unstopable!" Hope  
  
yelled at Anubis.  
  
  
  
Hope didn't have a chance to see it before she saw Anubis look over her shoulder and  
  
move as if to shove her as but ... "Snake Fang Strike!" Seckmeht managed to slip behind  
  
Hope while she was distracted with Anubis! "Why are you attacking Seckmeht! I had the  
  
situation under control!" Anubis snapped.   
  
"Master Talpa will want to find out how a girl can wear your armor at the same time that  
  
you can. And what better way to bring her back to the Dynasty, than to knock her out!  
  
SNAKE FANG STRIKE!" Seckmeht called out again, trying to hit Hope with his attack.  
  
It took everything to froce down a cry of pain as both attack hit Hope directly, she rolled  
  
to the side. *The vemon it feels like fire on my skin.* She thought, unaware that some  
  
slipped into the cut over her neck. Into her bloodstream.   
  
Guys, help me out here! Hope called to the others thourgh the armor link as a last restort  
  
as she tried to stand but her legs didn't seem to respone. *No! Don't you dare! Don't you  
  
dare pass out! You can't or you are dead.* She thought to herself.  
  
Suddenly, Hope felt herself being dragged away from the battle as Kento unleashed his  
  
sure kill. "Easy Hope. We need to get you some treatment before this gets any worse."  
  
Came a familiar voice. "George?" She asked. "Yes. Kento's attack gave me the opening  
  
I needed to get you off the field of battle. Now, I need to get you inside, so I can treat  
  
these venom blasts." He stated.  
  
Hope shook her head. "No, too powerful. There is no medinces to complety counteract  
  
his vemon." She said trying not to make a sound of pain, every movement tore at her  
  
nerves. "Never say never Hope! I've been working with the reptiles at my place of  
  
employment, trying to develop a new, more potent antivenom. But first, we need to get  
  
you stabilized, so I can get the antivenom." George said, trying to take a look at the are  
  
around them.   
  
Hope nodded as she slowly and mercifully lost consicense. George bandaged her up,  
  
and looked at Kento. "I need you to get her to a place of safety. Be VERY careful with   
  
her. She's in shock, and she's taken a MAJOR blast of venom. I'm going to the lab, and   
  
get some of the antivenom that I've been working on there, and hopefully, that will help   
  
her recover. But be VERY GENTLE with her. If she is shaken too much, she might NEVER   
  
RECOVER! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR KENTO?!" George said, looking at Kento  
  
with a threat of bodily harm if anything DID happen to Hope.  
  
Kento nodded. "Don't worry I won't let anything happen to her." He said to George as George  
  
left with Linda. George and Linda quickly headed toward the lab. "I just hope Kento and the  
  
guys take good care of her. I would hate to think what would happen if she wasn't! She helped  
  
get us together and hold us together." George declared to Linda.   
  
Linda shook her head. "I don't want to think about. I just hope that Hope will hang on. The  
  
Ronins keep the Warlords away from her." George nodded. "They better, for everyones sake.  
  
I would hate to have to go after them, if anything happens to her." He said. Linda nodded as they screahed the 'lab' when they got back the Warlords was gone and the Ronins was all there. 


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
Hope was laying on an old beaten up couch with a moist colth over her forhead, shivering  
  
though her skin was very warm. "Just hang on Hope, I brought the antivenom. I just hope  
  
this works." George quietly stated. Linda nodded and looked at Hope. *Me too.* She  
  
thought as Cye sighed.   
  
"George, it may help but there is only one person that got the anidote for the vemon: Seckmeht."  
  
He said. "You may buy Hope time but you probaly won't be able to save her unless we get  
  
that anidote." He said looking at Hope's friend.  
  
"Lets try this first. If it doesn't work, then I'll go after Seckmeht myself, and get the antitoxin.  
  
And I won't rest until I get it." George quietly stated. Cye shook his head though his face showed  
  
his smpathy as George used his own antivemon on Hope. "Now what?" Linda asked. "Now  
  
we wait. It is all we can do." George said solemly looking at the third of the heirs.  
  
"I have some healing powers. Could they be of help?" offered Sage. George just looked at  
  
him. "You're welcome to try, but I think that right now, we need to wait and see. Nothing  
  
against your abilities Sage, but she's in a state of shock. The only thing we can do is wait  
  
and see." George replied.  
  
But the Ronins wasn't the only ones wacthing the events taking place. "Well, my Warlords.  
  
It seems that you did manage to harm the Ronins. I am pleased with you Seckmeht. You  
  
managed to poison one of the Ronins, even if the Ronin in question is a female. But you Anubis.  
  
You, I am very disapointed in. You had the opportunity to destroy her, but you didn't! Now,  
  
you will face your punishmet!" Talpa decreed, as he summoned Nether Spirits to surround  
  
him. Anubis looked at the spirits as in the mortal world Hope groaned some as the virtue of  
  
Loyalty shone beneath the compress on her forhead. "Neter spirits .... Anubis ... get out of  
  
there." She muttered.   
  
"WHY Master Talpa? I have served you well. I have done all that you have asked of me?!"  
  
Anubis cried out, as the nether spirits began there assult. Hope felt more pain thourgh her.   
  
Anubis you got to get out of there! She called to him, somehow thourgh her own pain she  
  
knew he was in trouble as well. Copycat? You are contacting me through the link? Why?  
  
Anubis asked.  
  
I can feel your pain. Remember we share the same armor, we share the same pain as long  
  
as both of us are in sub or full armor and I can feel your pain when I'm out of armor, though  
  
to an less extent. She thought as things got hazier to her. Then we both are in for a great deal  
  
of pain, and possible death! Anubis stated.  
  
No, only me. Hope repiled. What? Anubis asked nor unstanding what she meant. If one takes  
  
the other's pain then that one only feels it. Only that one takes the risk. She said. Be careful  
  
Anubis. Was her last words as the link broke and at the same time the neter spirits stopped.  
  
"Well Anubis, what will it be? Will you continue to serve me, or have you decided to pay  
  
the price for your inserbordination?" Talpa asked. "I will contuine to sreve you master."  
  
Anubis said but wondered. *Why did she take the blunt of my pain? And how did she  
  
know I was hurt?* He asked himself as he glanced at the 'window' to the mortal world.   
  
George crused under his breath. "What is it?" Linda asked. "She's slipped into a coma."  
  
Was all he said. "Then we have no choice." said Ryo, as he stood up. "We need to go  
  
to the Dynasty, and find the cure for Seckmeht's poison!" The Ronin leader stated.  
  
"You'll be dead before you find it." Linda said to him. "But if we don't go she will  
  
die." Ryo countered.  
  
"Linda, Ryo is right but Ryo, she is right too. I say wait it out another day. IF she  
  
doesn't improve then we will do what we have to." Sage said calmly. "We better  
  
get that antivenom and soon, just in case my antivenom doesn't work. As you   
  
mentioned earlier, he created the vemon, he would know how to cure it."  
  
George said, as he started pacing up and down in the room. The Ronins  
  
nodded. "We will take shifts to wacth after her." Ryo said and soon a plan was   
  
made, the five Ronins and two others unaware of the Dynasty wacthing them   
  
and listening in.   
  
"So, the Ronins think that they will come here and get the cure for their comrade.  
  
We will prepare a warm welcome for them. Dais! I want a squad of soldiers  
  
guarding all enterences. Have the Nether Spirits ready in case the Ronins  
  
should get past them." Ordered Talpa.   
  
But Anubis looked over at Sheckmet then at Hope, loyalties confornting as he and  
  
the other Warlords left the thorne room. Anubis was in a quandry. If he aided the  
  
Ronins, he betaryed Talpa. If he did not, then he risked feeling even more  
  
pain from Hope and the link between the armor that they wore.  
  
He stopped suddenly remembering Hope's last words. She won't be in pain, she was  
  
dieing! The coma and Sheckmet's vemon would kill her in mere hours. Anubis crused  
  
under his breath as he made up his mind. His loyalty to his fellow bearer of the armor  
  
of Cruelty outweighed his loyalty to his fellow Warlords and Master Talpa. He would  
  
take the antitoxin for the Ronins and Hope. 


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18   
  
Later that night, during George's and Linda's shift and  
  
once the 'window' was closed Anubis made his move.   
  
He knew he would and could easily keep the other two   
  
slient, it was getting Hope awake without drawing the   
  
Ronins' attention that would be the hard part.  
  
Anubis quietly slipped in, and without waking up   
  
Seckmeht, took the antivenom from the area he had set   
  
aside. A few minutes later, he teleported to the Mortal   
  
Realm and where Hope was lying at.   
  
Linda looked up from where she had been trying not to   
  
fall asleep and saw Anubis. "Gu ..." She started to call   
  
out but a look from Anubis stopped her in her tracks.   
  
"Be quiet. I mean no harm. Who is the one that injected   
  
Hope with the anti venom earlier?" Anubis asked.   
  
"Why?" Linda asked warily as she started to back away,   
  
she was going to get the guys. "Because I have something   
  
that might help her." He said, as he suddenly felt a sword   
  
at his back. "So, Anubis, you came back to finish what   
  
Seckmeht started." stated Ryo, as he nudged the katana   
  
blade further into Anubis's back.  
  
"Ryo." A hoarse voice suddenly croack darwing the   
  
attention to one person, Hope looked at the bearer of   
  
Wildfire. "Don't." Hope said and tried to sit up but pain   
  
and weakness drove her back down. "Rest Hope. I'll take   
  
care of this Dark Warlord." Stated Ryo, as he prepared   
  
to slice Anubis up. "Ryo, you kill him and you might just   
  
do the same to me." Hope said and ingoring her own pain   
  
put her hand on his wrist, causing him to look at her.  
  
Just then George came into the room. "Who is causing all   
  
the ruckus in here?" he said, as he saw Anubis, and stepped  
  
back. "What are YOU doing here!" he snapped. "You want   
  
her to live?" Anubis asked looking at Hope out of the corner   
  
of his eye, she was too pale for his liking.   
  
"YES! Now if you have something to offer, do it! Otherwise,   
  
I will let Ryo finish carving you up!" George snapped. "Tell   
  
Wildfire to leave the room. I have the antidote." Anubis said.   
  
"But I will only give it to you if, the Ronins leave the room." He said.  
  
"Why should we trust you?" Asked Ryo, his hands drawing his   
  
other katana. "Because I know what Seckmeht used to make it.   
  
How many of you would know the composition of such a vemon   
  
and its antidote?" snapped the Dark Warlord. George sighed.   
  
"Ryo, leave the room, I know what he's talking about. I'm the one   
  
who will have to deal with him." he said, resignation in his voice.  
  
Ryo looked at him then moved his sword. "I'll be at the door and   
  
if there is so much as one hair is misplaced on any of their heads   
  
it will be on your's." He hissed at Anubis as he left.   
  
George's face fell with worry as he faced the Warlord of Creulty.   
  
"OK Anubis. Tell me what to do, and I'll take care of it. I've got   
  
training in handling poisonous snakes and their venom and Hope   
  
needs that cure and fast!" He snapped at the dark warlord. Anubis   
  
looked at Hope as she sat back down that took a good deal of the   
  
engery she had left. He pushed at her shoulder lighty, pushing her   
  
over easily before he turned back to George.   
  
"Stop being so arrogant human! I risked my life and my armor to bring   
  
this to you. If you want your friend to live, stop being so stubborn and   
  
listen to what is in the venom, and how to use this antidote." Retorted   
  
Anubis. "You forget you are human too." Hope said softly, drifting between   
  
awareness and unconsience. Noticing this Anubis showed George a vail.   
  
"She can drink it or have it injected though the injection is slower." He said.   
  
George nodded. "How much do I give her, and how often?"   
  
He asked. "Give her a 1/4 of it now, and another 1/4 in about   
  
4 hours. After that, if she is not feeling better, give her the rest   
  
of it. That should cure her." he said.  
  
"I anin't touching that stuff." Hope said looking at the vail suspionous,   
  
she trusted Anubis, some what, but not who maded the stuff in the vail.   
  
Anubis growled softly. "You will drink it ... Copycat or I will froce you   
  
to do so if I must." "You wouldn't." Hope said. "Try me." Anubis repiled.   
  
"No." Hope said strubbornly.  
  
"Hope." George growled, getting upset with his 'patient'. "Linda, hand me   
  
my bag. I think I have some syringes and needles in there. I can use one   
  
of them to start the ball rolling. Also, you might ask Kento to come in here.   
  
We might need his bulk to keep Hope down from trying to escape." George   
  
stated, with a hint of a mischievious twinkle in his eyes though he looked at   
  
Hope sternly.   
  
"George." Hope growled at him but she took her attention off Anubis as   
  
she sat up. He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, not hurting   
  
her too much but holding her still as he pressed the vail to her mouth.   
  
"Drink it." He ordered. Hope tried to resist it, but the liquid was froced into   
  
her mouth and down her throat. It tasted lousy, but she could feel some   
  
strenght returning to her.   
  
When she took the right amount Anubis let her go and tossed George   
  
the vail then looked at Hope. "You are luckly Copycat. Next time I   
  
won't help you." He hissed. "Anubis, if I might have a word with you."   
  
George said, as he stepped toward the Dark Warlord while both girls   
  
looked at him in shock. "What do you want, Mortal?" he growled.  
  
"I wanted to thank you for what you did. I realize that it took a lot to   
  
do that." George said. Anubis glared briefly at him, then sighed. "Sometimes,   
  
the trait of loyalty can be a double edged sword." he said. "I could take   
  
the antidote, and give it to Copycat, or I could have let her die, and   
  
risk myself getting hurt. Thus you see my dilemma." he said.   
  
George nodded. "We mortals have a similar saying: Being caught   
  
between a rock and a hard place." he quietly said. "And her name   
  
is Hope, not Copycat." He said and looked at Hope. "You know   
  
she probaly saved you from being sliced up by Ryo."  
  
"Wildfire is a good fighter for a boy, but his virtue might not have   
  
allowed him to do me harm in such a situation." Anubis said, as he   
  
teleported back to the Dynasty, he had work to do to make sure   
  
no one knew he was the one that saved Hope. 


End file.
